1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an image processing apparatus for designating an image to be printed, an image printing control apparatus for printing the image, a print image designation method and an image printing control method.
2. Description of the Related Art
A digital electronic still-video camera captures the image of a subject and records image data representing the image of the subject on a memory card or some other recording medium. One takes the recording medium (or the entire camera if the recording medium cannot be loaded in and unloaded from the camera) to a developing laboratory, where a printer having a high image quality is used to print the image of the subject represented by the image data that has been recorded on the recording medium.
It has been contemplated in such case to record ordering information on the recording medium along with the image data. The ordering information indicates which images among the images represented by the image data recorded on the recording medium are to be printed.
Assume that ordering information has been recorded on the recording medium. If image data representing an image to be printed in accordance with the ordering information is erased, then it is necessary to erase the corresponding ordering information as well. If the corresponding ordering information is not erased from the recording medium, the ordering information will designate the printing of an image represented by image data newly recorded following erasure of the old image data in the area formerly occupied by the old image data which no longer exists on the recording medium. This results in the printing of the wrong image.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to prevent the ordering of the wrong image in a case where ordering information has been recorded on a recording medium.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, the foregoing object is attained by providing an image processing apparatus capable of accessing a recording medium on which has been recorded image data representing a plurality of images and image recording time data representing times at which the image data was recorded, comprising: an ordered-image designating device for designating an ordered image to be printed from among images represented by image data that has been stored on the recording medium; and an ordering information storage device for storing, in association with the ordered image, ordering information for the ordered image designated by the ordered-image designating device and designation time data representing time at which the ordered image was designated.
According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is also provided a method suited to the image processing apparatus described above. Specifically, there is provided a method of designating a print image in an image processing apparatus capable of accessing a recording medium on which has been recorded image data representing a plurality of images and image recording time data representing times at which the image data was recorded, comprising the steps of: designating an ordered image to be printed from among images represented by image data that has been stored on the recording medium, and storing, in association with the ordered image, ordering information for the ordered image designated and designation time data representing time at which the ordered image was designated.
In the first aspect of the present invention, image data representing an image and image recording time data representing the time at which the image data was recorded on the recording medium are recorded on the recording medium. The user designates an ordered image to be printed from among images represented by image data recorded on the recording medium. When the ordered image is designated, the ordering information relating to this ordered image and the designation time data representing the time at which this ordered image was designated are recorded on the recording medium in association with this ordered image.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, the ordered image designated based upon the first aspect of the present invention is printed. From the viewpoint of an image printing apparatus, the second aspect of the present invention comprises: a reading device for reading, from a recording medium on which have been recorded image data representing an image, recording time data, which is provided for each item of the image data, representing time at which the image data was recorded, ordering information for specifying an ordered image to be printed, and designation time data representing time at which the ordered image was designated, the image data, the recording time data, the ordering information and the designation time data; time data retrieval means (a time data retrieval device) for retrieving the recording time data and the designation time data regarding image data representing the ordered image specified by the ordering information; time determination means (a time determination device) for determining whether the recording time represented by the recording time data found by the time data retrieval means is earlier than designation time represented by the designation time data; and printing control means (a printing controller)xe2x80x94for printing the ordered image by a printing device if the time determination means has determined that the recording time is earlier than the designation time and for executing error processing if the time determination means has determined that the recording time is later than the designation time.
From the viewpoint of an image printing method, the second aspect of the present invention comprises the steps of: reading, from a recording medium on which have been recorded image data representing an image, recording time data, which is provided for each item of the image data, representing time at which the image data was recorded, ordering information for specifying an ordered image to be printed, and designation time data representing time at which the ordered image was designated, the image data, the recording time data, the ordering information and the designation time data; retrieving the recording time data and the designation time data regarding image data representing the ordered image specified by the ordering information; determining whether the recording time represented by the recording time data found is earlier than designation time represented by the designation time data; and printing the ordered image by a printing device if it has been determined that the recording time is earlier than the designation time and executing error processing if it has been determined that the recording time is later than the designation time.
When the ordering information and the designation time data are thus recorded on the recording medium in association with the ordered image, the image data, image recording time data, ordering information and designation time data recorded on the recording medium are read. The image recording time data relating to the ordered image and the designation time data relating to the ordered image specified by the ordering information that has been read are retrieved and a comparison is made between (a) the time at which the image data representing the ordered image indicated by the found image recording time data was recorded on the recording medium and (b) the time at which the ordered image indicated by the designation time data was designated.
When the result of the comparison indicates that the ordered image was designated prior to the recording of image data representing the ordered image, this means that the image that existed at the time of the designation was erased subsequent to the designation. Consequently, when the image specified by the ordering information is printed, error processing (cancellation of printing, for example) is executed because there is the danger that an image different from the image designated by the user will be printed.
In error processing, it is desired that the ordered image be printed after it is displayed on the display device to allow the user to verify that the image displayed on the display device is the ordered image that is to be printed. Further, in regard to error processing for a plurality of ordered images, ordered images of a number (one, for instance) fewer than the plurality of ordered images may be printed to permit confirmation of the ordered images.
When it is determined that an ordered image was designated after the recording of the image data representing the ordered image, it is judged that the ordered image was designated correctly by the ordering information and the ordered image specified by this ordering information is printed.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, the foregoing object is attained by providing an image processing apparatus capable of accessing a recording medium on which has been recorded image data representing a plurality of images, comprising: an ordered-image designating device for designating an ordered image to be printed from among images represented by image data that has been stored on the recording medium; and an ordering information storage device for storing, in association with the ordered image, ordering information for the ordered image designated by the ordered-image designating device, and key information for verifying the ordered image.
According to the third aspect of the present invention, there is also provided a method suited to the image processing apparatus described above. Specifically, there is provided a method of designating a print image in an image processing apparatus capable of accessing a recording medium on which has been recorded image data representing a plurality of images, comprising the steps of: designating an ordered image to be printed from among images represented by image data that has been stored on the recording medium; and storing, in association with the ordered image, ordering information for the ordered image designated and key information for verifying the ordered image.
In the third aspect of the invention, image data representing an image is recorded on the recording medium. The user designates an ordered image to be printed from among images represented by image data recorded on the recording medium. When the ordered image is designated, the ordering information relating to this ordered image and the key information relating to the ordered image is recorded on the recording medium in association with this ordered image.
When the ordering information and the key information, is thus recorded on the recording medium in association with the ordered image, the image data, ordering information and key information recorded on the recording medium are read. On the basis of the key information, it is determined whether the ordered image specified by the ordering information that has been read is an image designated by the user. If it is determined that the ordered image is an image designated by the user, the image is printed. If it is determined that the ordered image is not an image designated by the user, then the above-described error processing is executed.
A fourth aspect of the present invention relates to printing processing. From the viewpoint of an image printing apparatus, the fourth aspect of the present invention comprises: a reading device for reading, from a recording medium on which have been recorded image data representing an image, first key information, which is provided for each item of the image data, relating to the image data, ordering information for specifying an ordered image to be printed, and second key information relating to the ordering information, the image data, the first key information, the ordering information and the second key information; key-information retrieval means (a key-information retrieval device) for retrieving the first key information and the second key information regarding image data representing the ordered image specified by the ordering information; key-information match determination means (a key-information match determination device) for determining whether the first key information found by the key-information retrieval means matches the second key information found by the key-information retrieval means; and printing control means (a printing control device) for printing the ordered image by a printing device if the key-information match determination means has determined that the first key information matches the second key information and for executing error processing if the key-information match determination means has determined that the first key information does not match the second key information.
From the viewpoint of an image printing method, the fourth aspect of the present invention comprises the steps of: reading, from a recording medium on which have been recorded image data representing an image, first key information, which is provided for each item of the image data, relating to the image data, ordering information for specifying an ordered image to be printed, and second key information relating to the ordering information, the image data, the first key information, the ordering information and the second key information; retrieving the first key information and the second key information regarding image data representing the ordered image specified by the ordering information; determining whether the first key information found matches the second key information found; and printing the ordered image by a printing device if it has been determined that the first key information matches the second key information and executing error processing if it has been determined that the first key information does not match the second key information.
It is determined whether the first key information (which may be intrinsic information or information generated from the ordered image) matches the second key information. If a match is obtained, it is judged that the ordered image was designated correctly by the ordering information and the ordered image specified by this ordering information is printed. If a match is not obtained, this means that the image designated by the ordering information does not specify the correct ordered image and, hence, the above-described error processing is executed.
The above-mentioned key information (first key information and second key information) may be partial image data representing part of the ordered image, the checksum of the ordered image, data representing the time at which the image data representing the ordered image was recorded on the recording medium, or data representing a random number generated at recording of the ordered image.